Best paint for furniture

I have a relative who would like me to build a set of bunk beds, and paint them dark navy blue.

What is the best paint for furniture? Here’s what I have used in the past:-Latex interior wall paint = BAD! STUFF Sticks to it for months after its dry.-Rustoleum = Much better, but perhaps there is a better option?

-- I'm strictly hand-tool only...unless the power tool is faster and easier!

18 replies so far

What’s wrong with a quality interior latex trim paint? You can get several sheens, brush or spray, cleans up well, and will cure fully in a week. I didn’t say dry, I said cure.Add a little FloTrol to help it flatten out well.That’d be my choice, but what do I know about the specific project?You’ll spend a fortune on primer and spray cans if ya use Rustoleum (which certainly has its place).Always remember that initial prep is the foundation to ANY finish.I didn’t understand your statement about “sticks to it for months”. What sticks to what?Bill

latex shouldnt take that long to cure. the stickiness you see is called blocking. Couple of causes for that… cheap paint, applied too thick, not enough time between coats, etc. I think a good quality latex paint would be a good choice.

First full disclosure my in-laws own an Industrial Paint Supply place here in Cincinnati.

I have never been a fan of paint, but they have changed my mind. I refinished a kitchen table and used Coronado Paint (I believe it was an enamel with flow control additive). I brushed it on and even with my poor skills you cannot see a brush stroke.

I like it so well I gave the left over of my quart to my mother to use (she is no relation to the paint store).

We are about to paint the exterior of our house again …. we are using Coronado.

Do your own web search … what I think you will find is it is a bit more expensive then you local big box store , but it is also worth the price difference.

My wife is gearing up for a paint project later this week on some furniture (futons, changing table, etc). At first we were thinking of brushing on a pigmented lacquer, but it seems as if lacquer is better on cabinets and bookshelves as opposed to furniture. Is that correct? Any suggestions as good paints to buy that our commonly available without having to break the bank or go to some super obscure retailer?

When I get a customer that requests a painted piece I use either an acrylic latex or a General Finish paint, depending on what they want. But waho6o9 hit it right when he recommended Zinsser Bullseye 123 Primer. I’ve used all sorts of primers but that’s been the best so far – even above Kilz Gold. You can have the best paint on the market but the primer will determine the finished product. And if your latex is sticking, wait longer between coats.

-- Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best. --Theodore I. Rubin

I have had Ralph good luck with Rustoleum for wood. In fact, I painted the door from the garage to the house with this paint as this entrance get the heaviest use gets the dirtiesr, and it cleans up easily!

I applied this with a small foam roller and got a super smooth finish!

I’d say use an enamel or acrylic enamel or, worst case, a lacquer. That’s just me though. The enamels are going to provide excellent protection and are easy to clean.

I don’t care what anyone says about latex on furniture. I think latex is for walls. I have it on a few window trim pieces and things end up sticking to them if left on too long (this is more than 2 years after I painted them).

If I was given the choice between latex (what used to be water-based) or oil-based house paint for furniture, I’d pick oil-based.

Thanks for all the replies… I have in the past bought a can of Rustoeum and brushed it on. that seems to work pretty well, and is more economical than buying a bunch of spray cans. I’m still leaning that direction, since I don’t really know about other oil/acrylic type paints.

I agree about latex on furniture. I painted a bookshelf 2 years ago, and just last week put a new glass picture frame on it, tried to move it the next day, and had to pry it off. I’m not doing that again.

Can someone elaborate on the need for primer? I have painted a few things with rustoleum for my kids, and I’m not sure what benifit primer would add.

-- I'm strictly hand-tool only...unless the power tool is faster and easier!

Using primer usually insures better adhesion and reduces the number of coats you’ll have to use in the end (normally) while also producing a more consistent color (the primer provides a more consistent base color). It’s also better to use primer when you’re putting lighter paint on a darker surface. You can also tint your primers when using darker paints to make coverage go faster. This all reduces overall costs on paint (which is almost always more expensive than primer) since you won’t need as much to achieve your final color.

I normally use it when I’m using spray paints as they tend to be very thin in application and it prevents me from having to use 6-8 coats of paint (no primer) instead of just 2-3 with primer.

A lot of spray paints are acrylic enamel. Just clarifying since you said you weren’t familiar with them.